Success Stories
Summerville Family YMCA
JEDA Makes It Possible!
During the latter part of 2002, a long awaited dream came true for Summerville, South Carolina - they opened the Summerville Family YMCA. View the Photo Album.
John Tupper, Past President of the YMCA Board of Directors in Summerville explains, "Formerly our YMCA consisted of individual sports programs alone, such as soccer, baseball and basketball. The YMCA was having a tough time surviving on these programs alone. In our effort to create a membership driven facility, we decided to develop a fund-raising campaign."
Like all fundraising campaigns, the money came slowly although the community supported this project and wanted a family fitness facility. Through several negotiations, the YMCA was able to purchase the old Coca-Cola bottling plant along with surrounding property, which was valued at $800,000, for $300,000, essentially a gift of $500,000 from the property owner.
One of two banks contacted was BB&T, which approached the YMCA with the idea of obtaining a JEDA loan. "With BB&T and JEDA in partnership on this project, they said they could make it happen. We were excited, especially when we discovered we would save over $70,000 annually in interest," claimed Tupper.
Jeremy Cook, an attorney with Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. in Charleston, SC who served as Bond and Corporation Counsel in connection with this project states, "The partnership between JEDA and the Summerville Family YMCA, along with the tremendous support of officials and citizens of the Town of Summerville, turned an abandoned bottling facility in the center of town into a state-of-the-art wellness and community center."
The H. P. Compton Wellness Center today houses a gymnasium, a heated aerobics pool, two weight rooms, a cardio room with televisions, locker rooms with saunas, child-watch, a meeting room, an outdoor pavilion, yoga and spinning classes, and several other amenities to name a few.
"Our membership goal for the first year was to enroll 1,000 family units. After our first year, we had 1,750 units. We currently have 1,860 units and over 5,000 members," claims John Rhoden, Executive Director of the Summerville Family YMCA.
What effect has the YMCA had on the Town of Summerville? "We are very excited about the tremendous amount of support we have received from Summerville residents. This facility has made such a difference in our town. The restaurant owners claim that they are busier since we have opened due to an increased traffic flow going through our town," claims Rhoden.
As with all JEDA loan programs, potential job creation is mandatory to obtain a loan. "The YMCA in Summerville currently has 11 full-time employees, 60 part-time employees, 20 seasonal employees and hundred of volunteers," states Elliott E. Franks, III, President and CEO of JEDA. "We are proud to be actively involved in the revitalization of Summerville, SC. Summerville not only has a wonderful new fitness facility, but the YMCA focuses to build strong families and communities, which are in line with the mission of JEDA."
"This project demonstrates the true impact JEDA's involvement can have on a community," states Cook. "Because of this project, new jobs were created and significant investment was made in downtown Summerville. And in the end, thousands of individuals who live in the Town of Summerville and the surrounding area are now enjoying a YMCA center that rivals similar facilities in cities many times larger than Summerville."
The mission of the YMCA is to not focus on "winning the game" but to teach teamwork among members. In this case, teamwork between the town of Summerville, the YMCA Board of Directors, BB&T and JEDA made it happen and made everyone a winner.
